Tokyo, Sept. 29 (Jiji Press)—Some 3.2 million people, or 3.6% of the total number of adults in Japan, are estimated to have experienced gambling addiction at least once in their lives, it was learned Friday.

The figure includes those who have not gambled for many years, the Ministry of Health, Labor, and Welfare said in an interim report of the national epidemiological survey.

The report also estimated that some 700,000 people, or 0.8%, are potential gambling addicts, from their behavior over the past year, seen showing the current situation more accurately.

Many of them may be addicted to pachinko pinball, the report said.

The gambling addiction issue gained publicity from discussions on so-called integrated resort promotion legislation to legalize casinos in Japan, which was enacted in December last year.